Joss paper 3: Clothes

Yet another form of joss paper. This particular example was collected in Singapore around 2014. It is a more elaborate version of the paper featured previously 

This particular piece of paper is intended to be burnt as an offering to the deceased. It would then re-materialize on the "Other side"  as a garment. 

It consists of a T-shaped piece of decorated paper, to which a pair of yellow triangles of crepe paper have been attached to either side. (The triangle on the left side was crumpled in the process of scanning). This is a particularly conservative form. Paper makers also make more modern-looking clothes. 

These clothes come in a pack of around 20 pieces. The garments in such a pack come in several different colours of paper-- yellow, red and green in addition to white.  

Paper makers also sell smaller versions of such clothes, intended as offerings for the wandering spirits of those who died in infancy. 

Florist's wrapping paper (3)

Another piece of decorated paper. The author recalls it was used by florists to wrap flowers. This particular pattern seems to be a bric-a-brac of several other patterns.

Floral paper

A New year, and finally a new post. Here is a fine floral wrapping-paper. For some reason the design incorporates deer. 

Florist's wrapping paper ( 2)

Yet another example of the genre of florist's wrapping paper. Printed on a thin, but glossy paper like the rest, this particular example shows a subtle pattern in black and blue.  The dark colors would form a pleasing contrast to the brilliant bouquets that these papers are intended to protect. 

Floral paper

Two samples from a fairly large sheet of floral paper. This was printed in China, in the 2010s.

What is most curious about the paper, is that the colours seems to have been printed without any regard to the pattern. On closer inspection, it seems that the maker has printed the dark background upside-down with respect to the red roses and blue flowers. The sheet was thus rejected, which would also explain why it was found wrapping a ream of other, higher quality papers. 

Cupcake holder (3)

The patterns of cupcake holders possess a certain charm. Here is another. It is a simple design of floral sprays, printed in red and green. 

Cupcake holder (2)

Here is another cupcake holder. This particular sample is decorated with a pattern of roses. The brown marks are the remnants of the sweet treat it once contained.

Pattern of sunflowers.

This rather gaudy paper comes from a cover of a photo album, made around the year 2000

Butterfly paper, 2013

The paper that is shown here forms the bottom of a Chinese paper lantern. Such lanterns are often sold around this time of the year, being the Chinese mid-autumn festival. Such paper lanterns are made of rice paper, but with cardboard tops and bottoms. This card is covered with a decorated paper. For some reason, this decorated paper ( of which there are several varieties), always features butterflies. This one is a more elaborate example.

As you can see, a repeat in the pattern can be made out, but it is by no means complete. By my calculations, the pattern repeats itself every 14 centimeters.